Texas Police Academy Training

There are a lot of ways to complete police academy training in Texas. With over 100 accredited police academies and a police force of 55,000 officers, the opportunities for police work are plentiful. New recruits can either complete training at a police department training academy or an accredited college program. Only those cadets with the right characteristics will be able to make it through training. The job of a police officer is one of the most dangerous in the entire country and training is crucial to properly performing your duties and serving the public. Officers that take the most pride in their work are motivated by the desire to set a positive example, uphold the moral code and protect the public. There is limited space on the police force and academies will only accept the best of the best. The best way to find an offer of employment is to volunteer at your local police department or 911 dispatcher.

Police Training Qualifications in Texas

All police officers must be at least 21 years old or 18 years old with an associate’s degree or honorable discharge from the military. All applicants must have their high school diploma or GED. A driver’s license is required for police work and each applicant must be able to receive a firearms license. Academy admissions boards will conduct several types of background checks: medical, psychological, criminal, financial. Any applicant that is not fit for police work due to health complications or mental impairments will be denied admission. Each applicant must have a clean criminal background with no convicted felonies or serious misdemeanors, including domestic violence or multiple DUIs. Financial records are scoured to make sure a new recruit will not be tempted to abuse their power for personal gain, so applicants must have a good credit score and no large outstanding debts. Once accepted into the academy, recruits will have to pass a series of physical trials and written tests in order to continue through basic training.

Popular Police Academies

There are 105 police academies approved to provide basic training in Texas. These training institutions can be found at regional police departments, state police academies and community colleges throughout each county. The most popular police academies will generally accept applicants that have already received an offer of employment from a police department in the state. The Tri-City Police Academy in Plano is one of the most popular academies in the state, serving recruits from the Dallas area. For Dallas-based applicants, other options include the North Central Texas Regional Training Center in Arlington and the Tarrant County Junior College Academy in Fort Worth. Near Houston, the most popular police academies are the Houston Community College Police Academy, the North Harris Montgomery Community College District Law Enforcement Academyand the Galveston College Law Enforcement Academy in Galveston. To find an accredited academy in your location, visit the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education website.